Verzekeringskantoor, Keizersgracht 455

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

In 1891 commissioned by the American Life Insurance Company and built to the design of Jac. van Looy, a shop/office building called "New York", executed in the international eclectic manner and erected with five storeys, basement and attic storey under a mansard roof - to which in 1933 a dome building executed in glass and steel with the inscription METZ was added according to the functionalist design of G.Th. Rietveld - with natural stone facades furnished with columned orders and sculptural work and crowned by a slate dome with lantern on the corner bay at Leidsestraat and Keizersgracht. The largely symmetrically arranged corner building - since 1908 in use by the firm Metz & Co. - has the main entrance situated diagonally opposite in the centre, flanked on each side by a side facade five window bays wide with a framed side entrance at the end, provided with a curved pediment with medallion; the side entrance at Leidsestraat was later modified. Between these entrance sections, a steel structure with pilasters and rivets has been installed on the ground floor and first storey to accommodate large glass surfaces. On the second storey above a balcony surrounded by a balustrade, herms and caryatids have been placed on both sides, alternated by herm heads supporting a triangular pediment respectively a balcony with balustrade. The facades contain Corinthian pilasters of the colossal order over the third and fourth storeys; the windows of the third storey are alternately crowned by curved and triangular pediments, the curved pediments being decorated with sculptures of eagles respectively mascarons; furthermore throughout the entire building the initials N and Y of "New York", oak leaves and festoons are applied as decoration. Above the fourth storey a corniced cornice with dentil moulding and attic, with at the ends each a natural stone dormer with triangular pediment. Of the windows on the second, third and fourth storeys, originally all cross windows with three-pane fanlights, the original division is now largely preserved on most. The corner bay, which in detailing matches that of the side facades, furthermore contains above the main entrance two colossal volutes with a medallion at the bottom and reliefs with stylised leaf motifs; above the cornice an inswept curved pediment with two sculpted mythological figures; in the structure above, executed in natural stone with pilasters, a semicircular arch recess with eagle and laurel wreaths; the high, octagonal tambour is provided at three locations with a round clock face executed in the English manner behind glass, with pilaster framing and a shell-motif curved pediment. The open-work lantern above the dome has a spherical iron crown, originally with a weathervane. On the attic storey the dome structure executed to the design of G.Th. Rietveld in the manner of the New Building movement, called 'On the roof'; the dome - originally intended as an exhibition space - is erected on a circular plan in steel and glass with narrow steel joints in horizontal subdivision under a flat roof with on two sides open ironwork bearing the inscription METZ in typography designed by Rietveld. The interior of the building contains amongst other things a basement spanned by barrel vaults, a supporting structure with columns (of which the six Doric columns placed on pedestals on the ground floor are left visible) and on the side of the Keizersgracht a marble staircase hall with vestibule, whose double glazed panel doors contain etched representations of an eagle; in the stairwell further double quarter-turn stairs with marble treads, balustrades executed in ornamental ironwork and copper handrails, and plastered side walls with fluting, in which in part the original panel doors are preserved. Also internally the motif of the intertwined initials N and Y is applied in various places. A markedly situated shop/office building of richly decorated architecture corresponding to the international eclecticism of the late 19th century and as such of general importance because of its architectural and cultural-historical value.